


A Black Cat's Luck

by DigimonAndPokemon



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Heavy Angst, I might get graphic, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It'll be tagged tho so don't worry, Mao mao is a little unhindged, Past Child Abuse, Selectively Mute Mao Mao, i might not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:41:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23817853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigimonAndPokemon/pseuds/DigimonAndPokemon
Summary: It's been four years since Badgerclops found Mao Mao half-dead in the forest with nothing other than the clothes on his back and a broken sword in his hilt. Despite the seemingly unbreakable bond between the two, Badgerclops is only beginning to feel like he truly does not know the person he saved in the woods. But as more and more of Mao Mao's past comes back, Badgerclops has no choice but to stay by his side and see things through. Especially with this shit father claiming to be a legendary hero.
Relationships: Adorabat & Badgerclops & Mao Mao Mao, Adorabat & Mao Mao Mao, Badgerclops & Mao Mao Mao, Badgerclops/Mao Mao Mao, If ya squint - Relationship
Comments: 57
Kudos: 191





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what I'm doing  
> Enjoy :)

Badgerclops never really thought he would find himself standing at the edge of his village so late, especially with the threat of rain thundering miles away. But there was a pull. A sudden need to find _something_ , but he had no clue _what_. There was just a feeling of something missing that was forming in his stomach, making him, for once, too queazy to even think about eating. He could barely see three feet in front of him even with the town’s lights beginning to illuminate the area. But that pull just wouldn’t leave him alone. 

He let out a conflicted whine as he gripped his umbrella tight. Something just refused to leave him alone. He brought his free claw to his lips, pulling at it mindlessly, giving his village a quick glance, then to the storm clouds rolling in. If he wanted to go out he would have to do it now, or he’ll be caught out in the rain. 

With one more conflicted sigh, he forces himself forward into the forest surrounding his village. He had no idea what he was doing or what he might be looking for, but, at the moment, none of this had crossed his mind. He just let his body take over and lead him through the darkening forest. The branches arched upwards opening up the area, forming a path. A path that would lead him to that _pull_ that was taking him over. 

However, with the storm clouds rolling in, it was getting harder and harder to see. Soon, Badgerclops would no longer be able to see his claw in front of his face. Still, he pressed forward like none of this was affecting him. 

"Why won't you just stay down you mangy thing!" A shout had ripped the silent forest quickly grabbing Baderclops' attention. There was a fleshy thud that followed shortly sending a chill down Badgerclop’s spine. He wasted no time. He began to sprint, heading in the direction he was certain the voice had come from. Someone was being hurt, and this far out into the forest, there would be no chance for help if that person found themself unable to move. No matter how loud they screamed. 

It didn’t take long to find the clearing, but Badgerclops felt himself falter at the scene. A group of thieves surrounding a shaking form, clearly trying to pick itself up. Their red cape covered most of their body, but, from Badgerclops could see peaking out, that form was a black feline. They seemed to be struggling to even breathe, let alone pick itself up. Blood trickled from their nose and mouth, staining the black void of fur. What looked to be the group's leader stepped forward, a sick grin spread across his face. He picked his foot up landing a harsh kick against the form. The feline went flying, landing harshly against a tree. They didn't try to get back up again.

“This would be so much easier if you just complied-”

“Hey!” Badgerclops found himself yelling before he could even think about it. The circle of thieves instantly snapped their heads to the sudden interruption. “Let them go!” The gaggle of heads snapped back to their leader as if unsure on how to react. The leader kept their stare, before craking out the unsettling smile from before. A laugh broke from his chest. 

“This has nothing to do with you Trash Panda so stay out of this.” The leader and his goons turned back to the form with chuckles and snickering escaping their lips. Badgerclaps felt his cheeks flare up with frustration and hatred. He lifted his prosthetic arm quickly changing it to a blaster. 

“Hey!” He called again, gaining their attention. Their faces drained of blood as they came face to face with the blaster. “I’m a badger, just so you know!” He shot the blaster knocking their leader back somewhere in the blackness of the forest. The goons glanced between the blaster and their leader. They were all gone a moment later.

Turning his attention back to the limp form, he wasted no time pulling the form away from the roots of the tree, laying them carefully on their back. Their left eye was covered by a bandage that looked like it hadn't been changed in weeks. Blood soaked through it covering the white completely, but the sticky edges were covered in bits of dirt and grim, turning it black. Meanwhile, the awkward angle of their nose defiantly meant a break and the wheezing coming from their chest definitely worried Badgerclops. They needed a doctor, and they needed one fast.

Discarding the umbrella, he picked up the limp body, holding them close to his chest. As if on cue, a flash of lightning quickly illuminated his path and heavy rain began pelting down on them. He didn’t have much time. Both of them needed shelter and fast.

Dashing through the forest hoping he was heading back to town, Badgerclops found it was getting harder and harder to keep his footing. The dirt path quickly turning into slippy mud. 

Light broke through the twisting darkness of the forest beckoning the running and panicked Badger to safety. 

Just a few more paces and- 

*Crash*

Badgerclops shot up from bed barely registering the ringing in his ears. 

“Badgerclops wake up!” A voice shouted from below him. “It’s the monster alarm!” There was another crash when the bedroom door was slammed open. Badgerclops felt a sigh leave him. That’s right. He was in Pureheart valley with Mao Mao. 

It's been four years since he met his now best friend half-dead in the woods. 

Badgerclops barely had any time to slip on his sash when he heard Aero-Bike start-up and another shout from Adorabat telling him to hurry up. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” He shouted. “Yeesh, dude,” With a mumble, he rushed himself out the door.

-*-

“That was amazing!” Adorabat screeched, pushing her way through the front door. Mao Mao seemed to be listening to her as she went off on a rant about the monster that just tore through the town. 

Meanwhile, Badgerclops wasted no time heading straight to the kitchen to get started on breakfast. Even though the sun was only beginning to rise, there wasn’t any chance they would be going back to sleep. 

The rest of the morning seemed to go off without any more disturbances. All three of them got to enjoy a quiet breakfast while talking excitedly to each other. Well, at least Badgerclops and Adorabat. Mao Mao would indulge every now and again, which was “excited” for him. It was enough for Adorabat though, who was way too excited about Mao Mao’s little sentences. 

It was just the way he was. Even when he and Badgerclops first met, he was never too vocal about things. No one minded really, but it was still exciting when Mao Mao would say something without using sign language. Badgerclops never really pushed on the matter. 

Before they knew it, the time had come for morning patrol. Mao Mao made sure his sword was tucked safely in his sash before heading out the door. 

That is until a ringing had pierced through the silence. All three of them shot their heads back towards the source. It had been the old telephone that no one had really used. All they knew was that Mao Mao was the one who brought it here and put it there. But he hadn’t moved from his spot to answer. He just stared at the dusty and rust-covered phone with an unreadable expression clouding his eyes. 

Adorabat glanced between Mao Mao and Badgerclops not fully understanding why they had made no move to answer it. The old thing clearly had meant something to Mao Mao or he wouldn’t have kept it around so long. 

When the third ring had pierced her ears she shrugged. “I’ll answer it then.” With a flap, she was in the air heading for the phone. 

“ADORABAT, don’t answer that!” Mao Mao had screamed out. In shock, she swiveled around facing Mao Mao. She has never heard him say or do anything like that. When she looked at him, really looked at him, something in her just knew there was something more than a phone ringing. His eyes were feral like he was a cornered beast ready to pounce, but his poster had been fearful. Tears just barely forming in the corner of his eyes. The hairs on his back had bristled. It was like he had summoned a feral beast to take his place. 

Adorabat would never admit it, but, at that moment, she felt a little scared. 

“Whoah dude, what the hell.” Badgerclops had said in his shock trying to get close to Mao Mao, but even he felt afraid of what might happen if he got too close. He’s seen something like this happen before. Where Mao Mao would get trapped in a memory and would accidentally lash out.

Mao Mao flinched facing Badgerclops with an almost defensive position hide still riding high. Badgerclops was quick to stop his advancing hands. Even if Mao Mao trusted him, whenever he got like this, not even the badger could do anything about it. 

Mao Mao's bristling seemed to falter for a moment at the sight of Badgerclops, but only for a moment. Another shrill of ringing pierced through his skull. Mao Mao grasped at his ears, praying that, that awful ringing would just go away. He needed it to go away. The ringing seemed to pierce through his ears, stabbing at his brain, taunting him endlessly. 

In his desperation, he pushed past Adorabat, stumbling towards the old desk covered in cobwebs and dust. Another ring broke out from the phone only for it to be cut short when Mao Mao had grabbed a hold of the phone, ripping the cord out of the wall. The thing was tossed aside with the cord failing lifeless behind it. 

With a glare, Mao Mao turned away from the table heading for the door.

“Let’s go.” He signed quickly, heading out the door acting as if the scene never happened.

And to everyone; it never did. 

-*-

“Can you talk?” Badgerclops had asked, staring at the cat that was currently picking at the grass. The bandage that was over his left eye had been replaced making everything about the boy look cleaner. Although the nick in the ear had been concerning, it had already been healed over leaving nothing to be done. Badgerclops had wondered what kind of person would've left such a scar, but he never asked about it.

The boy had responded with a nod continuing with his grass picking. By now, he had about twelve flowers in his hand. If he did it right, it should be enough.

“You just don't want to?” The boy nodded not looking up from his flowers. “I think that’s kinda cool, you know! You’re kind of like this character from my favorite video game series,” Badgerclops continued as the boy continued with the flowers. Despite what it looked like, the boy was listening to everything that Badgerclops was saying. He was content listening to the other blabber on about one thing or another as he sat in the grass field feeling the setting sun warm his fur. It was the most at ease he’s felt in ages. And he was grateful for it.

The boy was just about done as Baderclops continued his talk. He moved onto the topic of video games they should play together. He began listing off all the multiplayer games he had when the boy had lifted up his finished project with a soft “Ah-ha!” In his hands was a finished flower crown.

“Whoa!” Badgerclops exclaimed in an excited gasp. “That’s so cool!” A blush had formed across the boy’s cheeks at the compliment. With an unsure finger and a wary look in his eyes, the boy pointed at the crown than at Badgerclops’ head. “Wait, that’s for me?” The boy responded with a quick nod. 

Badgerclops lowered his head so the smaller could place it on his head. Carefully the boy had placed it between his ears. 

“So,” Badgerclops began when he straightened out, “How do I look?” He placed one hand on his hip and brought the other to cup his face that was in a kissy pout. The boy smiled slightly at the silly pose before giving a thumbs up. 

He could get used to this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Badgerclops tries to get Mao Mao to open up a bit but does that stubborn little cat take the help??? Nope! :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to imagine every time Badgerclops is mad at Mao Mao he just closes his eyes whenever he tries to sign.   
> Mao Mao:"/Can we just-/"  
> Badgerclops with his eyes closed: Nope! I don't talk to people who eat my last cheese paws! *immediately runs into a wall*

“So, what’s your name?” Badgerclops had asked as he continued to fiddle with his prosthetic arm. It’s been a few days since that stranger he saved has woken up. One thing was clear, he wasn’t very keen on talking. As a temporary solution, he had given the boy a pen and paper. At least until Badgerclops learned sign language. 

When he heard the familiar sound of pen on paper he looked over. The boy turned the notepad over showing a neatly scribbled “Mao Mao” in sparkly pink ink. It had been the only pen the physician had, conveniently. 

“Mao Mao, huh? My name’s Badgerclops, but you already knew that.” He let a small chuckle rubbing the back of his head. He brought his hand back down to continue his work on his arm. 

Badgerclops hasn’t learned much about the boy, but he was never one to pry. He was just happy to have someone around that actually seemed to listen to him whenever he rambled off. There weren’t many kids in his village, and, even then, none of them had the same interest as him. Although the boy next to him, who was now dubbed Mao Mao, seemed to enjoy everything Badgerclops brought with him. Today he had brought over his favorite comic book series which the boy was currently reading.

The few things that Badgerclops did know about the strange boy was that he was mute (obviously), he hated the dark, he was a skilled fighter, and he hated strangers. Especially older men. Well, Mao Mao didn’t tell him that exactly, but he took a guess when he noticed the new claw-like scratches on the physician’s face. When he asked about it, the man simply smiled claiming it was his fault since he should’ve known the boy would be on high alert. Badgerclops didn’t really understand what he meant, but he accepted the answer nonetheless.

“I’ve gotta ask, but what were you doing all the way out in the forest? Most people don’t really know there is a village all the way out here, so did you go blindness into the woods or something?” Badgerclops heard the shift of paper, not quite looking up yet wanting to give the boy some time. Only when he heard the pen stop did he look, but Mao Mao was still staring intensely at the paper. There was hesitation in his eyes. Whatever had been on that paper was quickly scribbled away and forgotten when he changed the page. 

Finally, Mao Mao lifted up the pad. “Adventuring” was all that it said. Although he was curious, Badgerclops decided it was best he leave the scribbled out response alone. 

“Whoa, dude, that’s really cool. Are you a hero or something? Is that why you got caught up with those goons?” Badgerclops had rambled with excitement not really noticing the way Mao Mao got more and more uncomfortable. He was hiding something away, something he would never want even Badgerclops to know. But the rambling boy didn’t even seem to notice. He just continued going on and on about how cool it must be to go on adventures. Mao Mao wasn’t going to correct him.

-*-

“Dude, what the hell was that earlier?” Badgerclops had finally cornered Mao Mao after patrol. He knew it would be a bad idea to bring up the whole phone incident with Adorabat around. She may understand on some level that something is not exactly right with Mao Mao, but she was smart. She would get closer and closer to finding out the truth which would lead her to start asking questions that Badgerclops knew Mao Mao was not ready to answer. Considering Mao Mao barely responded to him. 

Badgerclops had found Mao Mao training yet again. Clearly something was frustrating him if Badgerclops could gather from the generous pile of broken training equipment that had been carelessly thrown in a corner.

“ _ Nothing to worry about _ .” He hastily signed after his sword was knocked out of his hand by a moving target. Badgerclops let out a frustrated groan. Why did he always do this whenever Badgerclops wanted to talk. Mao Mao would quickly stuff his hands full of the nearest thing whenever he didn’t want to talk. It was his way of saying “Oh look, I can’t talk to you ‘cause my mouth is full and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Most times, Mao Mao’s sword was the one thing close enough to quickly get him out of the situation. 

“You are so not doing this right now!” He slammed his claw against the control panel, quickly shutting down the equipment. Mao Mao shifted to face Badgerclops with a look of disbelief and betrayal. “We are so gonna talk about your break down, and there is nothing you’re gonna do to get out of it!” Mao Mao lifted his sword with one hand and pointed at it with the other. “No. No! You are not gonna use the training excuse this time!” The other lowered his sword, sinking his shoulders in defeat. Badgerclaps brought his hand to his temples, rubbing them as he grumbled out his frustrations. Why did Mao Mao always do this?

“Okay, okay,” Badgerclops sighed out. “We’ll talk fast, but this does not mean you’re gonna train while I’m trying to  _ talk _ to you. So, down with the sword.” Mao Mao gave a pout, looking like a five-year-old kid who didn’t get the ice cream flavor they wanted. “Uh-uh. None of that. Sword down.  _ Now _ .” Mao Mao finally complied placing the sword back into its sheath. Not exactly what Badgerclops wanted, but it was better than nothing.

“Let’s start from the beginning. What even is that phone? I know it’s not a landline so why was it even there in the first place?” Mao Mao lifted his paws.

“ _ The old phoneIguessyoucouldsay _ -” Mao Mao began drifting off his eyes becoming distant, but as he continued his signs became faster and faster. To the point that Badgerclops couldn’t follow along despite his four years of experience. 

“Whoa, whoa,” He tried and failed to get Mao Mao’s attention. The other was just too deep in his mindless signing. Badgerclops could only gather bits and pieces.

“ _ Connection...family...idea...phone...mother- _ ”

“Mao Mao,” Badgerclops tried again. The cat was startled out his signing stopping abruptly. “You’re signing way too fast, my dude.” Mao Mao’s cheeks lit up.

At that moment, Badgerclops felt...bad. It was clear to him that Mao Mao was actually trying to explain his meltdown going deep into his memory where he never had to explain to Badgerclops. But Badgerclops just couldn’t keep up. No matter how hard he tried. Mao Mao had his whole life filled with signing, while Badgerclops only had about four years. There were just some things he just couldn’t do. 

With a defeated sigh, Badgerclops made his way to the railing lining the training arena. The sun was setting in the distance lighting the dojo in fiery orange. Mao Mao didn’t need a signal to know Badgerclops wanted him next to him. 

“I didn’t mean to sign so fast.” Mao Mao spoke softly, acting as if he was unsure if he still had a voice to speak with. His face was buried deep in his cape, trying his best to hide the pink tint still on his cheeks. Mao Mao had a habit of hiding his face when he was either embarrassed or uncomfortable. Which, right now, was both. 

“I know, dude. But it’s fine. I know you sign fast when you get nervous.” Badgerclops teased a little. Mao Mao’s cheeks flared up again, but, this time, he didn’t feel the need to hide it. 

“ _ I was not nervous _ .” He signed angrily and a pout on his face. Badgerclops chuckled. If he hadn’t known Mao Mao so long he would’ve called the scene cute.

“Riight,” He sang, turning back to the sunset not giving Mao Mao a chance to sign a response. He chuckled at the angry sigh he heard a moment later. Although, Mao Mao moved so he could stand directly next to Badgerclops. He let out a soft sigh feeling the familiar heat of the setting sun. It had always felt so good to have the sun on his fur. It seemed like forever since he let himself feel this at ease. 

“Are you ready to start again?” Mao Mao thought about it for a moment. In all honesty, no. No, he wasn’t ready. However, he knew he never would truly be  _ ready _ . He knew he owed it to Badgerclops. He deserved an explanation after everything they’ve been through together. On the other hand. 

He was  _ terrified _ . 

He responded with a shake of his head. Suddenly, the sun didn’t feel so calming anymore. 

“ _ I’m going to bed _ .” He signed leaving no time for a response as he turned around leaving Badgerclops all by himself. 

“So close,” Badgerclops grumbled out once Mao Mao was out of earshot. He shoved his head into his claws. “Ugh! Why do emotions have to be so  _ hard! _ ” 

Sitting there, Badgerclops couldn’t help but think. Think about the signs Mao Mao had made. _Given_ him. Maybe something that would help Badgerclops, in even the slightest, to understand what was going through his friend’s mind. Sure they were close. Close enough that Badgerclops knew what Mao Mao wanted in the slightest shift in his posture, but  _ this _ was something else entirely. 

Badgerclops was out of his league here. 

-*-

Darkness. 

Mao Mao always hated the darkness. It would suffocate him, twisting his mind till it became hard to tell what was up and what was down. It would wrap around him, pooling into his every pore, filling his lungs until he couldn’t breathe. 

He always hated darkness, yet he always finds himself back here. Trapped with nothing but the suffocating friendship of the dark. 

He tried to stay away, he truly did. But there was a mistake. A simple one, but every mistake had to be erased. Every mistake had to be trained so it could not and would not happen again. 

So, with nothing but the red that dripped from his nose and the tears blurring his eyes, he found himself surrounded by darkness.   
  


Mao Mao had woken up when he heard his door open. His heart was pounding fast in his chest, and the sting of the nightmare still sting his nose, but he lay still. He was unsure who might be at the door, but maybe, maybe if lay still they’ll leave him alone. 

There were soft footsteps that crossed the room, but Mao Mao still did not move. He forced his breathing to even out. He had to,  _ needed _ to, pretend like he was asleep. Maybe if he was sleeping he would be left alone. Maybe he’d be spared. Maybe he could escape today’s beating- 

“Aw, man. Looks like he’s still asleep.” A familiar voice broke through his panic grounding him back to where he was at this moment. Right now he was on a bed. He was staying with a physician after he was found in the woods. Right now Badgerclops was standing over. Badgerclops was here. He was safe. He had Badgerclops. 

His eyes opened even though he tried desperately to keep them closed. Then the tears came.  _ Fast _ . Running down his cheeks, matting down his fur. Then, in the next moment, he was sobbing.  _ Hard _ .

Badgerclops stood there flabbergasted. He’s never seen Mao Mao do that before. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he ran to Mao Mao’s side. He flinched but not that hard. He was too occupied rubbing the tears and snot away. 

“You okay dude?” Badgerclops had asked softly, but he doubted Mao Mao could hear him over the sounds of his own sobbing. 

Then Badgerclops tried something. Something that the physician told him was a big no, no. He wrapped Mao Mao in a hug. Not too tight though. If Mao Mao didn’t want the hug, he could just as easily push Badgerclops away. But, to his surprise, Mao Mao seemed to push himself into the hug, digging his face into his fur. 

Right now, Badgerclops could ignore the snot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not too proud of this one, but *shrugs* what can ya do.
> 
> I was honestly surprised by the number of comments I got. You guys are so amazing! Thank you so much.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated!  
> Don't be afraid to yell at me to update!  
> <3 <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We begin to get some idea of what happened to Mao Mao's sisters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly almost freaked everything up by posting this chapter on the wrong fan fic! Like, how did I mess up that bad? I seriously need some sleep.  
> Anyways,  
> Pls enjoy sleep-deprived writing.

“What do you have there Mao Mao?” A soft yet serious voice called from behind him. The little boy turned facing this new person. When he noticed a familiar cat wearing a woven hat, he smiled. Something so wide and innocent. His eyes shined with excitement, quickly standing up he presented the flowers he held carefully in his hand.

“They’re flowers!” He exclaimed with excitement and a hint of pride of voice. “I know how much mommy likes flowers, so I thought I’d bring her some.” The older cat smiled softly, kneeling down so she’d be face to face with the little boy. 

“That’s very sweet, Mao Mao. I’m sure mother will love them.” She brought her paw to his head, ruffling up his fur. Mao Mao smiled warmly at the praise. “Why don’t I teach something mom taught me when I was your age?” He nodded eagerly, his ears flopping lazily against his skull. She smiled warmly at such an innocent display. “May I see your flowers?” She held out her palm. Mao Mao wasted no time handing them over. She laid them carefully in the grass picking out only three. 

“You grab three like this, and then you braid them, like so,” She explained while making sure Mao Mao followed along. He stared intently, but he held amazement in his eyes like she had suddenly done a magic trick right before his eyes. 

Mao Mao had taken the now braided flowers back into his hand when his sister offered it back. “Now pick up three more, and braid it in,” Mao Mao carefully followed the instructions, checking in with her now and again just to make sure he was right. “Yeah, just like that.” She smiled at him. He was quick to return, feeling happy at the praise. She stayed with him as he continued his slow process. Instructing him if he got stuck. Till, finally, they could close it off. With the last flower, she tied together the ends. 

“Here we go.” She presented the flower crown back to Mao Mao. He took with an excited gasp. 

“Oh my gosh!” He lifted the crown as high as his arms could go. A wide smile spread his features. “It’s so cool!” He brought the crown back down holding it close to him so he could look at it again. He looked up at his sister with the same smile. “Thank you so much!” That was the only warning she got before the little feline tackled her into a hug. 

“Your welcome, Mao Mao.” She spoke into his ear, rubbing soft circles into his back. “You’ve been so good to mother and everyone else. Don’t let anyone change that.” Mao Mao was too excited at the moment to really understand what she had said. 

“Now,” She pulled Mao Mao out of the hug, something thick lacing her voice. “Why don’t you go show mother your creation?” Mao Mao nodded, his ears flopping wildly again. With that, he was off.

His sister wouldn’t be here when he got back. 

Mao Mao would finally be “discharged” today. And by discharge, that really only meant Mao Mao could go outside without the physician nearby. Mao Mao would still be staying with him considering he had nowhere else to stay, and there was no way in hell the physician would let him start traveling again so soon. Especially with his foot still wrapped up in a cast. 

It had been a fracture, Badgerclops was told. It was a little old so the physician thought he might have fractured it on his way over. That was all Badgerclops could really get out of the old doctor. Whenever he mentioned Mao Mao’s injuries, old and new, the physician’s face would grow dark, and he would turn green. However, he wouldn’t say a thing. 

Badgerclops left it alone. 

Mao Mao seemed more than happy to get out of the physician's office, even if it was for a few hours. From what he knew, his sword was given to the town’s blacksmith to be fixed. He felt a little uneasy without it within arm’s grasp, but he had Badgerclops. That was enough for now.

Still, he couldn’t wait to feel the handle of his sword again. 

“You ready to go Mao Mao?” Badgerclops called when he stuck his head through the door. Mao Mao turned to face him, his cape now wrapped around him. It felt good to have the old thing around his neck again. With a nod, he used his crutches to hobble his way out the door. 

Mao Mao drew a deep breath of fresh air. Being trapped in a room for a week made him a little stir-crazy. Finally feeling the sun on his nose and being able to breath fresh air made something in him settle. 

“Come on dude, we gotta hurry if we want to make it,” Badgerclops called when he realized Mao Mao wasn’t behind him. The boy quickly pulled himself out his daze, following his friend. Well, as well as he could. He still wasn’t quite used to the crutches.

They made it to the town’s blacksmith about half an hour to closing. The man seemed to be a raccoon. His stomach hung low, but his arms were clearly toned, despite all the fluffy fur covering them from view. This man could clearly hold his own in a battle. But the main thing that bothered Mao Mao; he was  _ tall _ . He easily towered over Badgerclops his pointy ears barely scraping the ceiling.

“Ah, Badgerclops. I was wondering when you were coming.” The raccoon smiled warmly at Badgerclops. He glanced over to Mao Mao. “You must be Badgerclops’ friend I’ve been hearing so much about,” He leaned down holding out his paw. Mao Mao tried his best not to flinch. “I’m Poc.” Mao Mao cautiously grabbed the man’s paw, watching his every shift. 

“His name is Mao Mao. He doesn’t talk much.” Badgerclops responded for him. The man kept his smile as he straightened. 

“Ah well, that's alright. You're just here to pick up your sword right?” Mao Mao nodded almost too vigorously. Poc reached over his desk picking something up wrapped in cloth. “I was honestly surprised when Badgerclops showed me the sword,” He pulled away the cloth, presenting the sword as he seemed to examine it. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen anything this...well...amazing!” He laughed out. “The last time I’ve seen such craftsmanship was when I was working for this old clan called...Ma…” He trailed off. Something unreadable covered his eyes. He tore his eyes away from the sword, burying them into Mao Mao. Mao Mao shifted uncomfortably feeling the man’s eyes dig into his soul, reading him like an open book. He shifted his eyes back to the sword, drawing in a deep breath. “Something with great power must have broken a sword like this.” He walked towards Mao Mao, presenting him the sword. “You take care of this now boy.” Mao Mao took the sword carefully. “And, take care of yourself too."

“ _ Thank you. _ ” Mao Mao signed. 

“ _ No problem. _ ” Poc signed right back. 

Mao Mao glanced over to Badgerclops, curious of what he would make of the exchange. Badgerclops, meanwhile, was too busy staring at the various weapons and armor. He hadn’t seen a single thing.

A part of Mao Mao was relieved. 

-*-

The next day Badgerclops was surprised to find the training deck empty after patrol. Instead, he found Mao Mao in a field just outside of Pureheart valley. Mao Mao seemed to be in his own world as he sat peacefully on the grass, the sun warming his fur. He was fiddling with something in his hands. 

_ Flowers _ . Badgerclops noted. Mao Mao was making flower crowns again. Every time things became too much for Mao Mao, an anxiety he had that not even training could quench, Badgerclops would find him picking flowers. He hasn’t seen Mao Mao do that in a long time. 

“Hey,” Badgerclops greeted as he sat next to the cat. Mao Mao barely faltered, continuing his braiding. “Adorabat is worried about you, ya know.” Mao Mao’s hands froze. Placing the unfinished crown in his lap, he looked up at Badgerclops asking him to continue. “She was really worried about yesterday’s meltdown. You’ve  _ never _ yelled before, and certainly not at her. She kind of thinks you’re mad at her or something.” Badgerclops rubbed the back of his neck. 

Mao Mao didn’t know what to think. He just knew he didn’t like the idea of Adorabat being scared of him. Something squeezed at his heart, filling his stomach with dread. No, no. He did not want Adorabat thinking that he was mad at her. She didn’t deserve that. Someone like her would never deserve that. She didn’t need that. She didn’t need that darkness. Darkness. No! Adorabat didn't need that- She didn’t  _ deserve _ -

“Whoa, dude you okay?” Badgerclops asked pulling Mao Mao out of his dangerous spiral. He quickly glanced back up at Badgerclops. 

“ _ I’m fine _ .” He held his last sign. His eyes grew distant like he was trying to think of what he wanted to say. “ _ What _ -” He hesitated a moment. “ _ What all did she say _ ?”

“She just said she was worried about you man. And, certainly, so am I. You’ve been so quiet since the phone incident. And that’s saying a lot.” Mao Mao sighed, placing his hands on his lap being wary of his flower crown. 

He felt awful for making Adorabat feel like that. He just didn’t know how to make it up to her. He glanced around, letting himself feel the sun on his fur. 

That’s when he was hit with an idea. 

“ _ Can you bring Adorabat here _ ?” Badgerclops raised a brow. 

“Alright man.” With that, he left. 

Mao Mao got to work.

  
  
  


Mao Mao greeted Badgerclops and Adorabat with a wave. Adorabat, all too excited to meet up with her favorite mentor, tore away from Baderclops, flying over to meet Mao Mao. She was quick to tackle him into a hug. Mao Mao gratefully returned it.

“What’s with all the flowers?” She asked when she glanced around after pulling away. Various flowers lay in the grass before Mao Mao. 

“I wanted to show you something my sister showed me when I was little.” He spoke softly. Adorabat’s face lit up with excitement. 

“Whoa!” She squealed. “You have a sister?!” Mao Mao nodded a soft smile on his face. “That’s so cool!” She breathed before sitting in the grass across from Mao Mao. 

“First, you’re gonna pick up three flowers.”

It didn’t take Adorabat long to get the hang of braiding the flowers. Though every now and again she would glance up at Mao Mao wondering if she was doing things right. He stayed where he was, watching patiently through the slow process. 

“Now we finish it off.” He picked up the last flower, tying the ends of the flowers together. Adorabat stared at the crown in amazement. Like Mao Mao had done magic right before her eyes. She held the crown up as far as her little arms would reach. 

“It’s so cool!” She screamed. She brought the crown back down before placing it on her head. Adorabat looked back up at Mao Mao, a wide smile stretching her face. “Thank you for teaching me, Mao Mao.”

This time it was Mao Mao who pulled her into a hug. 

-*-

Mao Mao tried so desperately to muffle his sobs. But he couldn’t help himself. The sting in his ankle was just too much for him to bear.

Father had gotten angry. Mao Mao didn’t remember what he was angry about, but he happened to be the first one he found. Now everything seemed to ache. His left eye was beginning to swell so painfully.

He didn’t understand why his father would do something like that just for the sake of doing so. He could understand when he did something bad, but he hadn’t done anything this time. It made him want to curl into a ball and stay there forever. 

“Mao Mao?” A soothing voice had called out. Mao Mao knew who it was right away. He moved, crawling out of his hiding spot in the closet. “Oh, Mao Mao,” Mao Mao’s sister sighed out with pity in her voice. Her poor brother looked to be beaten to hell. She walked over to her little brother as he tried to wipe away the last of his tears. Her scarf pooled onto the floor when she kneeled down. Bringing up her hand, she wiped away some of the dried blood under his nose. He hissed when she hit a forming bruise. “Sorry, sorry.” She pulled her hands away. 

“Can I pick you up so we get you all patched up?” With a sniffle, he nodded. She wasted no time lifting the boy up and carrying him out of the room. 

She set him on the countertop in their shared bathroom. The boy was working off the last of his sniffles when his sister rummaged around for a first aid kit.

Placing it next to the boy, she got to work. She softly wiped away the rest of the bed. He didn’t seem to mind too much despite the sore spots she kept hitting. 

By the time she was done, the boy was covered in pink sparkly bandages. Except for his eye and ankle. His eye was covered by a white pad, and his ankle was wrapped tightly. 

“Better?” She asked. He nodded. “Good, ‘cause I have a present for you.” His ears perked up at the mention of a gift. She let out a soft chuckle. “Wait here and I’ll go get it for you.” She left Mao Mao on the counter as she turned around to leave.

She came back five minutes later with some green and red cloth. He stared at it curiously.

“This,” She began placing the red cloth down, “is for you.” She held up the green cloth. She tied some around his neck, letting the rest pool around him. He gave her a curious glance. She chuckled again. “Turn around and look at yourself in the mirror.” He turned around. His eyes lit up with amazement.

“It’s a cape!” He gasped, grabbing at the ends and playing with them. She smiled watching her brother play with his cap with so much excitement. 

“Yep,” she picked up the red cloth. “And this one's for you when you grow out of that one.” Mao Mao tore his eyes away from the mirror to glance at the cloth in his sister’s hands. He lunged to pull her in a hug. 

“Thank you.”

Mao Mao wasn’t able to find her the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to start a Tumblr cause I have no self-control: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/a-black-cats-luck  
> Pls come yell at me there. Don't be afraid to yell at me to update or send asks or anything of the sort!  
> You guys are honestly all super sweet! I'm loving the feedback


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet Mao Mao's mom, and one more sister leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little shorter than the others, but that's mostly because in the next chapter some shit is gonna go down. Oh, I can't wait!

Mao Mao pushed his cape out of the way, being careful as he held the tray of food. He pushed his way through the darker part of the mansion, passing unused room after unused room. 

He used to hear stories from his sisters when these rooms were filled to the brim with visiting family or resting travelers. People would come from all over, and, when they asked, they would recount tales from the countless adventures. They’ve heard stories varying between fighting large beasts that would tear down villages to treasure hunting stories that would send many to their doom.

Then, there would be parties. Parties that would last all night, filling the mansion with warmth, light, and the smell of food. So many faces would show up that his sisters wouldn’t be able to keep track. They would spend all night dancing and eating under the sound of a live band playing on the stage. 

But all that stopped a long time ago.

Now all these rooms were dark and cold. Doing nothing other than collecting dust. Even the ballroom, that used to glow like gold, sat sadly in the dark. It no longer glowed like his sisters said.

There was only one person that used these old rooms now.

He stopped at one door, looking no different than any of the others. He shifted the tray of food, balancing it on one arm. Raising his arm he knocked on the door. He waited only a few seconds before opening the door. 

“Good evening, mama,” He spoke softly walking further into the room. The woman sitting up on the bed looked over at Mao Mao as he walked to her side. She smiled warmly.

“There you are Mao Mao,” He moved to place the tray of food on her lap. “Thank you, my child.”

“You’re welcome, Mama.” He pulled up his usual chair, sitting beside his mother. 

“You’ve come to tell me another story.” Mao Mao nodded eagerly. She smiled. “Good. You know how much I love your stories.” Today, he knew the perfect story to tell. He had read it just the other day in the now unused library. But he decided he would add his own little twist to it. Mao Mao didn’t like the way it ended.

“Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away…” He began.

This had been a tradition for Mao Mao and his mother. Ever since Mao Mao had been able to, he made sure his mother had been taken care of. She was no longer able to do so herself. She fell ill sometime before she had Mao Mao. After the stress of labor, she was never really the same.

Her sickness took hold of her. Forcing her to stay in bed and away from the excitement of real life. Before, she would be able to come outside every now and again, but, now, she could barely make it out the door. 

Mao Mao enjoyed this little habit. He liked the distraction from everyday life. Just being able to take care of his mother relieved some of that pent up stress and frustration. It seemed to be that one thing keeping him sane.    
  


“Are you ready.” The physician's voice cut through Mao Mao’s daze. He nodded. Today, he was finally getting that pesky bandage taken off his left eye. The thing itched to all hell, but he had strict orders not to pull it off. Especially after he let his wound get infected. It wasn’t his fault really. There weren’t exactly bandages in the woods. 

The doctor reached over slowly, beginning to peel off the tape, being wary of any fur he might pull out by accident. Finally pulling away the white bandage covered in tape, Mao Mao opened his left eye. 

“Follow my finger, please.” The other lifted his finger swaying it from side to side. Mao Mao followed obediently. “It looks like you have complete motor function in your eye. Do you feel any discomfort or blurriness?” Mao Mao shook his head. The physician reached over touching the claw marks that were healing over. “It’ll definitely scar, but over time it’ll shrink.” With one last smile, the physician got up to leave letting an overly eager Badgerclops through the door.

“Whoa, dude, nice battle scar.” Badgerclops teased slightly. Mao Mao reached up, feeling the scabbing skin over his eye. Three claw marks ran down from his brow over his eye and touching his cheek.

It didn’t take long for Badgerclops to settle in his usual chair by Mao Mao’s bed.

-*-

“Mao Mao,” Adorabat began. “Can you tell me about your sisters?” Adorabat sat on her usual spot on the floor doodling mindlessly onto her paper. Mao Mao reserved himself on the couch across from Badgerclops as he played some video game. Despite how much Badgerclops wanted him to, Mao Mao never really got into video games. He would play them now and again, but not nearly as much as Badgerclops does. 

“Well, what do you want to know about them?” Mao Mao spoke softly.

“‘Them?’” Aborabat gasped as she swung her head around. “There’s more than one of them!?’ Mao Mao chuckled softly.

“ _ Yeah. I have five sisters. _ ” He signed slowly, allowing the other a chance to read his signs. Adorabat had only begun to learn sign when she found out Mao Mao didn’t talk much. For about a month after they met Badgerclops had to translate everything for her. Luckily enough, her school offered sign language classes. With Badgerclops and Mao Mao teaching her on the side, she picked it up in no time. There was a long way to go, she still struggled with larger words, and when Mao Mao signed too fast, but she was making a lot of progress.

“‘Five!?’ Oh my gosh! That’s so many siblings! I can’t imagine living with five siblings. Was your house super crowded?”

“ _ No. In fact we rarely saw each other _ .”

“Really?” Adorabat asked, tilting her head to the side. “Why’s that?”

“ _ They were all training to become legendary heroes _ .” 

“Wow,” She gasped. “So your entire family is made up of legendary heroes?”

“ _ Mostly _ ,”

“That’s so cool,” Her eyes began to shimmer in her amazement. “Where are they all now?”

“ _ I’m not sure _ ,” Mao Mao shrugged. “ _ They all left when I was young. Never kept in touch _ .”

“Aw man,” Adorabat sounded disappointed. She was expecting epic stories about how they are all off on their own journeys fighting monsters or discovering rare treasures. That sounded so cool. Being able to go off on adventures like that. 

“Were they all super cool though?”

“The coolest.”

“Nice!”

-*-

Mao Mao decided to distract himself by taking care of the garden. Today had been beyond awful. For some reason, father had been angrier than usual and did not hold back on taking his frustrations out on Mao Mao. Everything hurt as he shifted through each garden bed, but he didn’t feel like patching himself up. Patching himself meant going back inside, and going back inside increased the risk of father catching him again. 

So, he bared through the pain as he pulled at the weeds taking hold in the garden bed. 

“Here you are Mao Mao,” A voice broke through his intense staredown between him and a weed. He looked up seeing one of his sisters standing a couple feet away. She was wearing her signature robe and bangles. But as she stood there looking down at Mao Mao with a warm look on her face and hands behind her back, he knew right away what she was planning.

“You’ve decided to leave too, now?” He said with barely any emotion in his voice. He pulled harshly at weed before placing it in the bucket next to him. He could see his sister flinch out of the corner of his eye. A part of him almost felt glad that she felt hurt, but the other part was screaming at him to stop her from leaving.

“Y-yeah. How’d you know?” She looked guilty. Mao Mao’s heart hurt a little. 

“I’m eight now. I’m not that stupid anymore.” There was a slight bite to his words. Today was just not a good day at all. Forgive him for wanting to push back a little. He grabbed his bucket, moving to the next part of the bed. 

“Right,” She said, not exactly knowing how to respond. She was never very good with words, she was always better at combat than emotions. At first, she was thankful, but now she would give anything to be able to talk to Mao Mao. 

Mao Mao sighed like he felt the internal conflict that was going on in his sister’s head. He placed the last weed in the bucket before standing up. 

“I know you’ve worked hard for this. It’s your turn to go off on some grand adventure now, isn't it?” Mao Mao said, his voice a little softer. If his sister was leaving, he wanted to make sure they were on good terms. It’s not that he dislikes his sister. He loves her. But it always hurts when they leave. He hated going through this. It has been like a tradition now. Once a year, another sister would leave. Once a year his father would get angrier. 

“Thank you, Mao Mao.” She closed the gap between them, pulling the smaller cat into a hug. “That means a lot to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He patted her back acting like he didn’t care. But he knew he would relish this moment for years to come. She pulled away first.

“There was something I wanted to give you before I left.” She held up her previously hidden hands. 

“Shin guards?” Mao Mao asked. She nodded eagerly. 

“I know you've been doing your own training while you can, so I just want to make sure you’ve got some protection.” Mao Mao grabbed the shin guards out of her paws softly. He stared at them intently, a part of his heart hurting. 

“Haha,” Mao Mao said dryly, trying to cover up the wobble in his voice. “Okay, mom!” He laughed. His sister responded with the same desperate laugh, as she tried to cover up her own tears. A part of her hated the fact that she was leaving without Mao Mao. But she wouldn’t be able to take care of him if he went with her. He had to stay here. It was safer here. “Now get out of here before I force you to stay!” He shouted as he pushed his sister. She laughed.

“Okay, okay! I’m leaving!” Mao Mao pushed her one more time for good measure. She turned around to walk away before hesitating at the end of the garden bed. She quickly turned around, sprinting to pull Mao Mao in one last hug.

“I love you, Mao Mao. Don’t you forget that.” Before Mao Mao had a chance to respond, his sister pulled away, sprinting back into the mansion. 

He pulled on the shin guards. They were a little big, but, when he grows up, they’ll fit like a glove. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be afraid to give feedback!   
> Or to leave an ask on my Tumblr: https://a-black-cats-luck.tumblr.com/  
> (I also will leave updates on my fic so you'll know when the next chapter might come out)  
> Don't be afraid to yell at me to update!  
> <3<3<3<3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll remember Poc? He makes a return. And someone is looking for Mao Mao in the present? With the last two sisters leaving, will we finally be able to find out what happened to Mao Mao?? God I hope-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for being patient with this one! Alsooooooo: everyone is so freaking nice! All of the messages you leave are super sweet!  
> Also: I need to get to bed early so I did not proofread this. I am so sorry. I just want to get this chapter up just in case I don't have a chance to tomorrow.

Mao Mao has been quieter these days. He spent most of his time hidden away in either the library or out in the garden. Rarely did he come to family dinners anymore, spending as much time as possible by himself. Or, at least, away from his father. Something happened between him and his father, and his sisters had no idea what.

As much as they tried getting Mao Mao to open up, he only seemed to talk less and less. He just kept himself locked away, living in his own world. 

Still, his sisters were determined to live their own lives. 

“Mao Mao?” He heard one of his sisters call from somewhere near the entrance of the library. He poked his head out of his make-shift hiding spot in between two shelves, quickly catching his sister’s attention. 

Her golden eyes met his. She smiled softly. Mao Mao had no energy to return it. 

“Here you are.” She moved to kneel right in front of Mao Mao’s hiding spot. It had been like a second room for Mao Mao since his father had taken a liking for heading there whenever something made him frustrated. The small area had been lined with blankets and a pile of books was tucked into a corner. One was open, laying face down. 

His sister had a neatly wrapped box in her hands, tied together by a golden bow. Even though Mao Mao had a feeling his sister was saying goodbye, it was confirmed when his eyes landed on the gift. 

“ _It’s your turn now_.” he signed. But he hadn’t signed the question mark. It was a statement. 

“Yeah,” She nodded. “But I wanted to give these to you before I left. I have a feeling you’ll need them in the future.” She handed the box to Mao Mao who reached for it tentatively. Using his one uninjured nail, he tore through the wrapping. He didn’t waste any time opening the plain grey box.

“They’re gloves.” Mao Mao held up the blood-red gloves. They were clearly meant to go with his red cape. He hadn’t put it on yet. Something about it didn’t feel right to him yet. It stayed hidden away in his closet. “I know you’ve been using sign a lot more. With these gloves, it’ll be easier for people to understand you outside of the Mao family.” Mao Mao pulled on the gloves being careful of the sore spots where his nails used to be. (It had been the same story as it always is. Father got mad. Mao Mao got punished. He didn’t feel like thinking about it.) The fabric felt nice against his paws, and his fingers were more defined. It would definitely be easier for people to understand him. You know, if he ever got a chance to see other people. 

“ _Thank you_ ,” He signed, this time a smile spread across his face. She wasted no time returning it. 

“Your welcome Mao Mao.” She placed a comforting paw on Mao Mao’s shoulder.  
  


Shin Mao loves his son. He really does. That’s why he does the things he does. He swears up and down that he does the things he does because he cares about his son. 

At least he did. 

He didn’t even realize when it happened, but, over time, he didn’t seem to care about his son. Something in him seethed at the thought of his very own flesh and blood. All of his problems seem to lead back to the boy: his wife’s poor state, all the loss he suffered, all of it. 

A long time ago he remembered being happy. That was when his wife was healthy and he was blessed with five daughters. He had never been happier when his wife told him her news: she was going to have another litter. 

However, things wouldn’t stay this way. His wife would fall ill, losing the entire litter except for one little runt. 

Heartbroken, he had vowed to love his son despite the loss he suffered. He had been so small back then. So fragile. A part of him would ache at the thought of him getting hurt. 

Things changed. Over the years, he changed. It started with a slap. He had done it without thinking really. When he was asked, he wouldn’t even be able to tell them what Mao Mao had done in the first place. It had probably been something small like a broken piece of pottery.

What he did remember though, was the feeling that rushed through him. It felt like some pent up frustration had finally been released. Like he was getting revenge for every wrong that’s been done to him. It made him feel powerful. It made him feel like he was in control. 

He _loved_ it.

But, in a flash, all that was gone. Realization and dread washed over him. He had remembered that promise he had made the day his son had been born. He had remembered the fragile creature that he could fit in the palm of his gauntlet. 

He stared down at his son as he cried, cradling his stinging cheek. Shin Mao kneeled down, quickly pulling the small boy into a hug before he had a chance to push away. 

“I’m sorry,” He whispered, rubbing circles into his back. “I’m sorry. I’ll never do it again.” The little boy wrapped his arms around Shin Mao’s neck, squeezing tight as he cried his eyes out. He promised himself never again. He would never hurt his son ever again.

But he already broke his first promise. It didn’t take long to break his second.

-*-

It’s been four years since Poc met Mao Mao. He still remembers him, even after all these years. He had a feeling that memory would follow him for as long as he’s alive. 

Poc had left the Mao Mao clan after Shin Mao seemed to close the clan’s entrance. Fewer and fewer people would come, and more people would leave. Eventually, he would be the last few that kept up shop. But even he gave up when he realized no one would be coming through those gates for a long time. 

The old raccoon was never really sure why Shin Mao seemed to just suddenly shut everyone out. That was until he met Mao Mao.

He knew Shin Mao had daughters, five to be exact. He remembers them so vividly. They would always be happy about something, and it would be hard to find even two of those girls by themselves. They would come to Poc’s shop frequently, watching as he formed weapons, and fixed others. They seemed so fascinated by everything Poc did. They would sit and stare, often rambling about how they would use Poc’s weapons to take down great foes when it was their time for their heroic adventures. 

Poc had to admit, he loved those girls. And they loved him. He remembered when some of them would come to ask Poc about the advice they were too shy to ask their parents about. Or when they got into a fight with another and wanted to cool off steam. He watched these girls grow and develop. 

But he never remembered a son. 

He would’ve remembered if that little boy ever came to his shop. He looked so much like those girls, but, at the same time, he was so different. He didn’t have that same shine. He looked defeated. Like he lost some battle he didn’t even know he was fighting. And the way he seemed wary of everything. Like he was ready for an attack at any time. Even staring at Poc’s hand like it would suddenly grow snakeheads and attack him.

He almost didn’t believe that the cat was a Mao.

Poc couldn't help but let his thoughts fester. He needed something, anything that would explain such a vast difference of character. Leading to one thought that he didn't like to entertain too much. It just didn't seem right to him. But things only seemed to prove those thoughts when someone came to visit.

“Poc!” A female voice called out, pulling the man out of his work daze. He turned around, and there was one of those little girls that he watched grow up. And judging by the large woven hat, she rarely changed her style. He smiled a warm chuckle erupting from his chest.

“Well if it isn’t little miss Hat!” He remembered he would spend countless days poking fun at the large woven hats she liked to wear. Eventually, he nicknamed her Sun Hat, but he cut it short to Hat when it became too much of a mouthful.

“Please,” She blushed. “You don’t have to use that silly nickname anymore.” She said, but she had honestly missed the nickname. “It’s good to see you again Poc.”

“You too, Hat.” He walked over to her wasting no time pulling her into a hug. He pulled away, holding onto her shoulders. She has grown a lot since he’s seen here. Her hat now grazed his chin when it barely hit his chest before. “It’s been way too long. What are you doing all the way out here?” He let his arms fall to his sides. 

“I wanted to see you again before I visit home. It’s been too long since I’ve seen mother and father.” 

“Really? You have to tell me how your father’s been ever since he shut the gates.” She shrugged, pulling her arms out of her sleeves to mess with one of her whiskers. A nervous tick she developed in her travels. 

“I’m unsure. The last time I saw him was twelve years ago. He had been acting strange when I left, but I’m hoping it went away with time.” 

“Strange?” Poc raised a brow, “Strange how?” A bad feeling was settling in his stomach. He prayed his absurd theories weren’t actually true. 

“He had been a little more aggressive, reserved for a while before I left. Ever since mother fell ill, he had been different.”

“Wait, what?” Poc had asked the second the words processed in his head. “What happened to your mother.” A look of shock fell over Hat’s face. 

“Father never told you?” He shook his head. “Mother fell after she got pregnant. She lost most of the litter. Only one survived.”

“Mao Mao.” Poc finished mindlessly. Hat’s eyes wide. A sense of fear and dread filled her stomach.

“You- You have met Mao Mao?” She asked, her eyes now covered in the shadow of her hat, her voice sounding dangerous. But Poc knew her anger was not directed at him.

“Yes. I met him four years ago. Gerald’s stepbrother found him half dead in the woods.” Hat seemed to stand completely still, but Poc could see the soft shivering in the fabric of her kimono.

“Four- half _dead_?” She muttered. Her eyes were wide, terrified. She knew she shouldn’t have stayed away from home this long. She should of know that sooner or later her brother was going to need her. And she hadn’t been there. She hadn’t been there when she needed him the most. 

“WHERE DID HE GO!” She suddenly shouted, lifting her head up to face Poc. He wasted no time when he saw the fear in her eyes. 

“I’m not sure, but I can find out.”

-*-

There was only one sister that hadn’t left Mao Mao yet. There was only one sister that still continued her training. But Mao Mao didn’t know why. She was the strongest of all his sisters, at least in brute strength. But she was the one that decided to stay. 

However, this year’s mark was upon them. 

Dinner was awfully quiet. 

Shin Mao had decided to eat somewhere else, luring Mao Mao out of hiding. Mao Mao wanted to spend one more dinner with his sister before he was forced to say goodbye. At part of him resented her for leaving Mao Mao, but he knew, that no matter what, he couldn’t get her to stay. This adventure was far more important to her than any of the other sisters, but she was the one that stayed the longest. Mao Mao didn’t want to hold her back. 

Still, they sat in silence. The tension hung heavy in the air. She felt guilty about leaving Mao Mao even after he had suddenly become so quiet. She had hoped that Mao Mao would start talking again over time, but it only seemed to get worse. He barely spoke a word a day now. 

But she didn’t have a choice. She needed to leave the clan to prove herself, just like every other Mao has before her. 

“Mao,” She called softly. Mao Mao raised his head looking at her from across the table. “I-” She didn’t know what to say exactly. She was terrible at anything that didn’t have to deal with swords. As if sensing her conflict, Mao Mao smiled softly encouraging her to continue. “I wanted to give you something before I left.” She reached for the wrapped box she left next to her feet. It had been wrapped as neatly as possible in a golden wrapping paper. She had clearly done it herself. There were tears every now and again that seemed to be clumsily fixed with an obscene amount of tape. She placed it on the table, pushing it towards Mao Mao. 

The other pulled the box closer to him, curious about what this sister would leave him. He cautiously pulled at one of the tears, thankful that he didn’t have to use his claws. They were still healing after they had grown in wrong-

Mao Mao quickly pushed that thought aside, pulling away the rest of the paper. He opened the box, almost dropping the lid when he glanced inside.

“I have a feeling you’ll need a sword. You are a growing boy after all.” Mao Mao lifted up the sword. It was golden, reflecting the light of its blade. Despite the impressive shine, the hilt was a made up of leather dyed a midnight black.

It was beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the fan art by Woshuto on Tumblr. They were honestly super cool to do that! Also thank you DC for being a constant in my notes!  
> Don't be afraid to yell at me in the comments or my Tumblr: https://a-black-cats-luck.tumblr.com/  
> <3<3<3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not proof read this...again. I accidentally distracted my self by watching the 'How To Cook That' channel. You guys can yell at me if I miss anything
> 
> ALSO!!!!!  
> There are scenes of child abuse at the first part and last part of the chapter.

Mao Mao’s first mistake was thinking he was safe. 

He seemed to believe that there might have been a chance that Shin Mao would leave him alone. He believed that he and Shin Mao would continue their game of avoidance. Pretending that the other did not exist. Everything Shin Mao had wanted Mao Mao had become. He believed that would be enough to keep him safe for at least a little while. 

But all of that was quickly thrown out of the window. 

Somewhere in his drowsy brain, Mao Mao could feel those familiar cold paws wrap around his ankles. The metal plates of the armor dug into his flesh and the grip was bruising. His eyes shot open. 

He didn’t have any time to react before his head made contact with the floor. His vision went white, feeling nothing other than the growing bruise on his forehead. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. 

“Meet me in the dojo in twenty minutes. Don’t be late.” A voice growled somewhere above him. Shin Mao didn’t wait another minute, walking away leaving Mao Mao on the floor tangled in his blanket. He watched the other closely as he walked away. 

He let himself breath when the door had finally slammed closed. He had been praying that he would have at least a semi peaceful day. But, now he knew, this day was going to be a living nightmare. 

Mao Mao pressed his eyes closed trying to will away the headache spreading across his head.

Everything hurt. 

Bruises throbbed under his fur, blood had soaked into his green cape, and blood dripped off his chin. He had lost a tooth, but he had lost it somewhere on the dojo floor. He had no idea when he had even lost it, just that he had a sudden gap where a tooth should’ve been.

“Get up.” Shin Mao growled. Mao Mao tried his best to suppress a flinch. He was so tired. Every part of his body seemed to hurt, and the cold of the wood soothed their constant ache. 

Still, he pushed himself up. 

His legs shook, barely able to carry Mao’s Mao’s weight. They felt ready to collapse under the pressure. He just wanted this to end. 

Shin Mao had claimed he wanted to teach Mao Mao how to be a hero, but all it felt like was a beating in disguise. He had been pushed to his very limit and then some. But, the moment Shin Mao had suggested hand to hand combat, Mao Mao had felt dread fill his stomach. 

He had been right. It was horrible. 

When Mao Mao had finally regained his balance, something heavy smacked him across his face. All he could taste was blood as he was sent to the ground once again. This time he didn’t move at all. He was too tired. He let the blood stream out of his mouth trying to ignore the hard object now pressing itself against his tongue. 

He had lost two teeth in one day. A record.

Shin Mao brought his foot back down. “Is this seriously all that you are capable of?” He scoffed. Mao Mao didn’t respond. He didn’t even acknowledge that Shin Mao was talking. If Shin Mao noticed, he didn’t care. “Pathetic.” He wrapped his hand the hilt of his ax. He took it out of its holder, throwing it in the general area of the weapon rack. “I can’t believe your mother suggested this.” Mao Mao choice to ignore that part. Shin Mao headed for the door. 

“Meet me for dinner at six. Don’t bother me until then.” The door slammed shut. This time Mao Mao couldn’t help but flinch. 

He doesn’t know how long he’s stayed on the floor. He knows it has been a couple of hours. He stayed on the floor, curled up to his less injured side, watching the shadows move across the window of the dojo.

It didn’t matter now if he decided to move or not. No one was looking for him. No one would be waiting for him if he decided to leave. So he let himself stay curled up. Letting the cold from the dojo floor seep into his bones. 

It was better than the darkness.

-*-

Mao Mao never really wanted to become a legendary hero. Maybe when he was still young. Maybe before his sisters had left. 

But now, all he wanted was to be left alone. 

It was never his plan to off on some wild adventure with Badgerclops. The reason he had left home in the first plan was just to be left alone. However, Badgerclops had other plans. It seemed like his very dream was to go on some adventure like the one in all his comic books and video games. 

Mao Mao knew from the very beginning that staying in one place was a bad idea, so he complied. He let Badgerclops believe that they were going off on an adventure. Once Mao Mao had healed up completely, they were off on some adventure. 

It was never his plan to end up chasing down a boat of sky pirates, then for them to run into the ruby pure heart. 

Now, though? He was glad. He felt like he had somewhere to belong. The monsters in the area were easy enough to take down, and the sky pirates barely proved to be a threat. It didn’t take much energy for Mao Mao to take them down. 

He felt it was peaceful. Compared to everything that has happened to him, his life felt uneventful. 

That went away far too fast. 

Mao Mao stared at the black cat in front of him. She stared right back, a hesitant smile on her face. The frays on her hat swayed gently in the wind. It’s been too long since he’s seen her. Trying to think of her only brought up fuzzy memories and flower crowns. But here she was. Twelve years later.

She was still taller than Mao Mao. 

“It’s been a while, Mao Mao.” She shifted uncomfortably, her hand easily finding its way to her whiskers. Mao Mao could only respond with a hesitant nod. She was no doubt analyzing every inch of his body. Taking note of the nick in his ear and the claw marks over his eye. It made him uncomfortable. He mindlessly pushed his cape up, covering his mouth. “How have you been?” She asked in a weak attempt to start a conversation. 

“ _ Alright _ ,” Was all he could think to sign. Mao Mao watched as a slight look of shock and concern flash across her face. This was not the Mao Mao she knew. Something happened while she was gone. 

“You use sign now?” She asked and resisted the urge to facepalm immediately after. Mao Mao hunched his shoulders a little higher, his cape now tickling his nose. He nodded. 

This was definitely not the Mao Mao she knew.

“This is the Ruby Pure Heart!” Adorabat had presented with her usual enthusiasm. Mao Mao was glad to see that she had calmed down some. When Mao Mao had introduced her to his sister she was far too excited. She could barely stand still, her eyes wide and innocent. There were a thousand questions on her tongue. 

But Hat had been patient through all of it. Something about the situation felt familiar to her. Like a long-ago dream that was nothing more than a fuzzy memory. She listened to all of Adorabat’s rambling and answering her whenever she had asked a question. No matter how silly it seemed to be.

“The Ruby Pure Heart is the protector of the village,” Right now Adorabat had dragged her into a tour of the town. Hat didn’t mind it much. She had come here to find Mao Mao, but he didn’t seem too keen on talking. He just followed along silently, probably only there to keep an eye on Adorabat.

Something had happened to him. And she didn’t know what.

She had an idea, but, to her, it seemed impossible. 

“At least it was until a couple of sky pirates rammed their ship into it,” She continued seeming ignorant of Hat’s internal conflict. “Now Mao Mao, Badgerclops, and I protect the village.”

“Really?” She responded, a smile in her voice. “Isn’t that exciting.”

Meanwhile, Poc had pulled Badgerclops aside the first moment he could. 

“We need to talk,” Poc began, panic lacing his voice. Badgerclops crossed his arms across his chest.

“Clearly,” He said his visible brow furrowing. “You call me out of nowhere and then just suddenly show up! What exactly is so important?” Poc glanced over to the three standing only.

“It’s Mao Mao.” Poc glanced back at Badgerclops. “I think he’s in trouble.”

-*-

“THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH!” Mao Mao was nine now. And he was tired. He was tired and furious. Some part of his brain wanted nothing more than to tell Shin Mao exactly on his mind. While another part knew it was a very bad idea. 

But he felt his anger surge through him as a fresh bruise began forming on his cheek. Shin Mao was just beginning to leave but Mao Mao had to open his big mouth. 

“You need to stop this,” He said desperately trying to stop the frustrated tears from forming. Shin Mao almost seemed amused.

“Oh do I?” He turned around, kneeling down to facing the boy. Mao Mao’s brows were furrowed, and his breath was heavy. His bare claws dug into the rug underneath him. “And what exactly are you gonna do if I don’t.” Shin Mao grasped Mao Mao’s chin tightly. It was a threat. If Mao Mao was thinking clearly he would’ve seen it as plain as day. He should’ve kept his mouth shut. He wasn’t thinking clearly. 

“I’ll tell my sisters you’ve been back on bad habits.” Shin Mao’s face went emotionless. His pupils narrowed to slits. If he didn’t have his armor on, Mao Mao would see his hide raise. 

Mao Mao lifted his leg, kicking his father in the face with the bottom of his paw. The claw let go of his chin. He swiveled around planting his paws on the ground, charging in the opposite direction. 

He knew at that moment how stupid he had been. The realization came crashing down on him. The image of his father’s eyes kept playing in his head over and over again, sending fear through his veins. 

He knew he had messed up the moment he felt that cold paw warp around his tail.

He fell, the bottom of his chin hitting the floor, his jaw-closing with a harsh  _ clunk _ . His tail was yanked, sending a shot of pain through his spine. His claws dug into the floor.

Why didn’t he just keep his mouth shut?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that comments on both here and on my Tumblr!! You guys are so sweet.   
> Come yell at me on my Tumblr: https://a-black-cats-luck.tumblr.com/  
> and don't be afraid to yell at me in the comments!!  
> <3 <3 <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hat tries to talk to Mao Mao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!!!!  
> That took longer than I thought to get my mental health back on track, but my concentration and energy are coming back to me! I hope you enjoy!

The tension was far too thick. Mao Mao felt it stuff itself into his throat making it hard for him to breathe. The house was quiet except for the soft ticking of a clock on the wall, and the sun had set long ago. Adorabat was put to bed as soon as the sun had set and Badgerclops was right behind her.

Mao Mao knew he had been standing there for a long time, he didn’t know how long. The only thing he was aware of was the harsh breathing coming from his snout as he shifted his weight from leg to leg. He was far too aware of the phantom itch coming from the scare covering his eye, his eyesight landing at the swirling of the wooden floor below him. His paws clasped at his cape in a desperate attempt to hide away the shame he felt. 

Hat had not looked up at him yet. She was sitting on the couch trying not to think of the awful feeling of her robe rubbing against her fur. Her eyes stayed on the television in front of her, he thin pupils staring holes into the machine. She was far too aware of her brother standing over to her left shifting every now and again.

She had wanted to talk to her brother earlier, but the look on his face. She could see how he refused to meet her eyes, something akin to shame written all over his expression. She hadn’t failed to notice the scars over his eyes and the way he pulled his cape over his body like he was hiding something. This wasn’t the little kitten she had left all those years ago. Under her sleeves, she was grasping at her own paws harshly, the tips of her claws numb. 

Thousands of questions seemed to pass through her mind, but when she opened her mouth she couldn't force a single sound out. Everything was silent. Far too silent. It seeped into her making her feel empty and pained. She couldn't understand how things got this way.

No.

She knew. She understood. She knew the moment the thought of leaving entered her mind. Her stomach would ache something awful. But she always shoved it aside. Even now, she pushed it aside. Even as her body trembled in restrained anger she tried to push away the thoughts that were  _ so evident _ -

It just couldn't be true.

"Mao Mao-" Hat began but her mouth snapped closed, her teeth clicking. Some part of her pretended not to see the awful flinch that racked through her brother. She felt her molars grind against each other.

She was always the best with emotions. Being able to breathe through even the worst harassment. Being able to help her sisters breathe through their own. But this? She didn't know what to do. This wasn't something she could breathe through. For the first time in a long time, she felt herself lose her hold on her self control.

"Who?" She already knew who. But she needed Mao Mao to offer some sort of  _ acknowledgment _ . Something that would make this  _ real _ . 

Mao Mao's brows pinched together, his eyes glazing over as liquid began to pool at the corner of his eyes. But he wouldn't let them fall. He never did. 

His mouth opened. 

But the blood only left his face. He keeled over one hand wrapping around him, gripping at his own fur like it was a lifeline. Another hand shot to his mouth. The red glove covered his mouth, but it did nothing too stiff the choked off whine. He closed his eyes tight, ears pressed to the back of his skull. 

Hat shot up. Mao Mao flinched away violently. His whole body tensed but he made no move to face Hat. He gazed, wide-eyed,  _ terrified _ , at the floor. She could faintly hear the ragged breathing coming from Mao Mao, his chest rising and lowering rapidly, like he was nothing more than some scared beast. She stepped forward only for another flinch rack through his body like a shiver. 

“Mao Mao,” she whispered something desperate clawing at chest. Hat wanted to move closer, comfort the shaking form as she has done with her own sisters. But Mao Mao wasn’t like her sister’s. He never was. Even when they were younger. Mao Mao was forced to navigate this world alone, never truly having a litter to belong to. Her sisters tried their hardest to make him feel accepted, but they all knew it would truly never be enough. Even if they didn’t spend most of their time training, it would have never been enough. She didn’t know how to comfort someone who didn’t already trust her. 

To Mao Mao, Hat was nothing more than a fuzzy memory with a vague feeling of safety. She was nothing more than someone had left him before he was ready. She didn’t know anything, and that terrified her. 

She can only look on as someone she thought she knew, shiver miserably on the floor. She couldn’t do anything. 

That hurt more than any stab wound she had ever received.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be afraid to talk to me on my Tumblr! I also love all of your comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave feedback!  
> And don't be afraid to yell at me about needing to update!  
> <3 <3


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